Two of a Kind
by pandorabox82
Summary: Bernie only hopes that she looks okay after another hurried dressing in the dark. But, as usual, it's the little details that trip her up...


One thing Bernie would never get used to was Serena's insistence on getting ready for the day in the dark. Serena swore that it was a gentler way to wake up and get ready for the day, since there wasn't the harsh glare of artificial light to annoy their eyes, to force them into wakefulness, or to rudely remind them that yet another day had started. Reaching out one slim hand, she swatted off the alarm and shoved back the covers, trying to ignore the way that Serena groaned and tightened an arm around her waist, pulling her close.

"It's time to get up, luv. We need to get ready for work."

"Ten more minutes, I just need ten more minutes of bliss with you, Bernie. Please?"

Bernie sighed, knowing that it was a losing battle, and slipped back down onto the mattress, turning to face her lover. "You know, we go through this every single morning that we're on an early shift together. At some point, you're going to have to admit defeat and answer to the buzzer."

"Not yet, though." Serena snuggled in closer, her eyes still closed, and her lips seeking out the pulse point on Bernie's neck. Bernie groaned and stared over Serena's shoulder, trying to will away the desire that thrummed to heady existence at the feel of her lover's lips moving against her skin. "We could afford to be a few minutes late today, Bernie. I know that you feel the same way I do."

Serena's voice was all smolder and sex, carnality dripping off every syllable, and Bernie tried to count to ten, in Ukrainian, to tamp down the rising desire in her body. It was a losing battle, and she sighed deeply before cupping Serena's chin and capturing her lips in a bruising kiss. Serena surprised her by taking the initiative and flipping Bernie onto her back so that she could look down on her. "Serena…"

"Yes, Bernie?"

"Make it quick?"

Letting out an irritated humph, Serena shook her head before glancing over at the clock. "I don't think you even noticed, darling, but I reset our alarm so that we could work in a little early morning delight before we got ready for work. The things I do for my love of you."

Bernie rolled her eyes a little before laughing lightly. "You, my dear, are entirely incorrigible. But I don't think that I would have you any other way." Serena gave her a cheeky grin before nodding and bending now, devouring Bernie's lips in heated kisses. And really, since they didn't have to be rushing about, she felt reasonably okay with taking time for a little early morning love.

In hindsight, she had made the entirely wrong decision. Time had once again lost all meaning once she and Serena had started making love, and by the time Bernie had come up for air to glance at the clock, they had exactly fifteen minutes to get ready for their day before they would be late. Haste and darkness did not make for informed clothing choices, and she only hoped that she at least matched. Serena, at least, had the blessing of knowing where everything was in her closet, so she looked as put together as always, which was really quite unfair when she thought about it.

"Oh, quit sulking, Wolfie, one day you'll know exactly where everything is, just like me," Serena said as she pulled into her parking spot. Leaning over, she kissed Bernie's cheek lightly before practically bouncing out of the car, her hips twitching a little as she waited for Bernie.

She was a little slower to get out, however, since she found her gaze fixated on Serena's bum, as was so often the case these days. Finally, she slipped out into the cold February morning and came up to Serena's side, hooking their arms together as they walked inside. "So, barring a trauma coming in, do you want to assist me on my surgeries today?"

"I could be persuaded to lend a hand or two, if given the proper motivation." She gave Serena a suggestive smile, pleased to see the answering blush that always came when she teased her lover. "I mean, there are a few places we could find to mark as ours left in this hospital."

"We'll just have to see about that, Ms. Wolfe," she replied as they stepped onto the elevator. As Bernie pushed the button for their floor, Serena lightly pinched her side, returning the suggestive smile. They both knew that nothing could happen at work, that they were only teasing each other, but there was still fun in the game. And so, she stepped as close to Serena as she could, running her hand up and down her side as they waited for the lift to come to a stop.

"I'll just go and change," she murmured as she handed over her bag to Serena. Her lover nodded sharply, giving her another, more secretive, smile as they parted ways on their floor. It didn't take long for her to get to the locker room, and she sighed with relief to see that no one else was there. She was certain that Serena had left a hickey on the swell of her breast, and she wasn't certain that she wanted just anyone to see so intimate a mark.

Hurriedly, she stripped off her jeans and shirt before reaching for a clean set of scrubs and tugging them on. Stepping over to the mirror, Bernie raked her fingers through her thoroughly too messy hair, making curls stand askew on her head as she did so. "Oh! Ms. Wolfe! I was just looking for you."

Spinning around, she noticed Fletch in the doorway, and she forced herself to relax as she smiled at him, hoping that he hadn't seen the completely indecent love mark Serena had left her with. "What did you need, Fletch?"

"There's a rather nasty trauma that's coming in, just came over the red phone, and we're going to need you in theatre. Ms. Campbell as well, though Raf went to get her from her office."

Bernie nodded sharply as she fell into professional mode, following Fletch from the room. In the hall, she passed her lover, and she couldn't help but reach out and squeeze her hand lightly, knowing there would be little time for encouragement once they were in the thick of things. Serena squeezed back before continuing on her way.

While she was waiting for Serena to join her in theatre, Bernie listened to the scant bit of information that Fletch could give her, taking a deep breath as she realized just why she and Serena would be working on this trauma together. It would be a delicate, long, surgery, and she hoped that the outcome would be favorable, though she knew that it would all depend on how quickly the ambulance arrived.

"The ETA is fifteen minutes," Raf said as he popped into the scrub room, Serena following closely behind. "Partial limb detachment, along with a deep laceration across the abdomen. We'll know more once everyone gets here."

They nodded in tandem before Serena sidled up to her, opening a fresh brush kit and starting to clean her hands. A comfortable silence descended over the room, which was exactly what she needed before heading into so daunting a surgery. Once they were ready, Bernie stepped into theatre, holding the door open with her foot so that Serena could follow.

As the gurney was rolled in, Bernie drew in a sharp breath as she took in the sight of a forearm hanging limply by the young woman's side, a tiny bit of sinew barely holding it in place. This was going to test her skills as a surgeon, of that there was no doubt.

"This abdominal trauma is extensive, too," Serena whispered as they stepped closer to the prone body of the young woman. Looking up, their eyes met, and she tried to encourage Serena without saying anything, hoping the tender gaze of her eyes would be enough to get them through the next few hours.

They fell into a steady rhythm as they worked to repair the poor woman, but in the end, the limb damage was too extensive, and Bernie was unable to reattach the limb, instead having to amputate it completely. It was not the outcome she had wanted, not by any means, but as long as the patient came off the operating table alive, that was all that mattered. Serena was focused in on closing up the last of the abdominal wound, and so Bernie took the time to watch and listen as she commanded the room, her movements sure and swift, bringing an elegant grace to the whole endeavor.

Her lover must have felt her scrutiny, since Serena glanced up and smiled at her, the mask unable to hide the way her eyes crinkled at the corners, or the love that shone there. It didn't take long to complete the final stitches, and then they were sending her off to after care and stripping off their bloody gloves and gowns.

"That went better than I thought it would."

"Even though she lost her arm?"

"You saved her life." Bernie gave her a sideways glance as she took off her mask and tossed it into the trash before sinking down onto a stool. Serena followed suit with her own mask before cautiously looking around, making certain there was no one else left in theatre, and then settling herself on Bernie's lap and resting her head against Bernie's. "I know that that doesn't make up for your desired outcome, but she's alive, thanks to you."

Bernie let out a little hum of pleasure before turning her head and kissing Serena's cheek softly. There was something so nice about being able to relax like this, and she would take the moment for what it was, a brief interlude before the rest of their day began.

They were so wrapped up in each other that they never noticed company joining them in the theatre until Raf cleared his throat. They both looked up in surprise, and Bernie tried to keep from blushing at the smiles that Raf and Fletch were giving them. "That really is quite adorable, Fletch."

"I know. They really are two of a kind," the nurse replied with a light chuckle.

Bernie felt Serena stiffen in her arms a little, and she instinctively spread her hand out on Serena's back in an effort to comfort her. "Whatever do you mean?" she asked, hoping to convey the right amount of censure, but not wanting to be too harsh.

"Well, it looks like the two of you weren't exactly paying attention as you dressed this morning."

Serena slipped off Bernie's lap and stood, looking at her scrubs before giving Bernie a hard look. "We're both in scrubs, that we got here. Of course, we match. Whatever are you going on about?"

"Your socks, ladies. It seems as if you each decided to put on two halves of the same pairs."

Raf and Fletch burst into cheerful laughter at their mutual looks of indignation. Sticking her feet out, Bernie wrenched up the legs of her scrubs pants and looked at her socks. She was definitely wearing one of her serviceable black trouser socks, but on the other foot was one of Serena's silk polka dotted socks. "Come here, you," she said as she crooked her finger at Serena.

The woman stepped into her personal space and Bernie reached out for her pants, tugging them up to reveal the exact same mismatch. "I thought one of those felt off this morning," Serena murmured before winking at her. The delicious warmth that look always elicited slammed through her body, and she bit her lip before quickly turning her head to look at the still laughing men.

"Sometimes that happens, when you've lived together for a while," she tartly replied.

"Yeah, but those are clearly two extremely different types of fabric. How did you not feel it?"

Fletch nudged Raf with his elbow, giving him a look that screamed to Bernie that she had not lucked out earlier in the locker room. Sucking in a deep breath, she winced as she bit her lip, wondering how Serena would react to whatever the man was about to say. "I don't think their minds were on clothes this morning, Raf. After all, Ms. Wolfe is sporting the most lovely hickey on her chest."

Serena gasped deeply as she focused in on Bernie, her cheeks practically flaming. Bernie couldn't tell if it was from embarrassment or desire, and she prayed that it was the latter. "And just when was Fletch treated to the pleasure of seeing your all too lovely chest, Berenice?"

Oh. That was her annoyed voice, and Bernie hunched her shoulders up a little as struggled to find words to explain the situation to her Serena. And then, the first twitch of Serena's lips told her that maybe the annoyance wasn't directed at her, but rather Fletch for teasing her about something so very personal. "I was a little slow at putting my scrub top on in the locker room, since I couldn't believe that you left so obvious a mark on me. He must have seen it then."

"I see. And just how should we deal with prying eyes?"

"I think that the boys should have to get us lunch and coffee. For a week."

"Ooh, that is positively perfect, my dear. Though I think that we should extend it to a month. After all, we don't want to encourage wandering eyes, do we?" Serena let out an evil little giggle, one that Bernie couldn't help but reciprocate, causing the men to shuffle on their feet, as if they couldn't really believe what was being asked of them. "All right, maybe that is a bit much. Two weeks of lunch and coffee, along with an excellent bottle of Shiraz, and we'll both forget about what you saw."

"Yes, Ms. Campbell," Raf replied quickly, before Fletch could answer, and then took hold of his arm and guiding him from the room. Bernie listened to them grumble until they were out of earshot, and once she was certain they were safe, she burst out into deep, healing, laughter.

"That was exactly the thing we needed, to get over our disappointment with the surgery," Serena murmured as she cupped Bernie's face in her hands. Leaning down, she kissed Bernie softly before hooking her finger in the neckline of the scrub top and pulling it away from Bernie's body to peer down at her chest. "Oh, I didn't realise I had bitten you quite that hard. I'm sorry."

"It will fade, luv. Though I might have to repay you the favor tonight."

"You know my skin blemishes a lot more easily than yours, Bernie. Please, don't?" Serena pouted a little, and Bernie smiled as she shrugged, standing up and hooking her arm through Serena's. "Well?"

"I might be persuaded to keep my teeth off you if…"

"Yes?"

"You keep your scrubs on for the entire shift." Serena blushed even deeper. "Come on, you know what you do to me when you wear them. Do a girl a solid?"

"Only for you, darling. Only for you." Bernie laughed as they exited out into the hall and made their way to the office, the day already starting to feel a little more on track.


End file.
